Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Once we’re sitting at my kitchen table, Zak glances around. His lips crimp for a while, and I feel more than just a little embarrassed about our house.
It’s not a bad place, just plain.
Picking up on my mood, Zak eases himself back into the kitchen chair and makes a low sound to himself, making me turn red for different reasons.
I can see he’s giving me the same intense look he did on our video call earlier.
It’s not the same look he gives other people; I’ve just seen that for myself with my mom and Sheree.
If I wasn’t stuck for words before, I sure am now.
And with nothing in front of me or nothing else to focus on, I’m worried I’m just looking like a star-struck gaming fan instead of someone who’s just put their hand up for a foot in the door.
But Zak’s mature and professional, and despite his smoldering good looks and even sultrier stare, he’s quick to fill in some gaps for me.
“When we got cut off earlier… And then you emailed me your resumé. Well, I was going to be in town tonight anyway…,” he says.
But I can see he’s just as lost for words as I am, and both of us fall into that goofy silence again.
Seeing me give a shy smile and I feel myself hugging my elbows.
Meaning to cover my freezing chest but only feel it spilling over my arms. The sensation of the fabric against my stiff nipples made me shiver a breath.
And having Zak’s eyes on me isn’t helping matters either.
I even find myself starting to shift in my seat. Finding out quickly just where all the heat from my body’s gotten to.
The hot wetness the man brings on in me feels like it’s running out from under me.
If this is a real job interview, it’s my first and hopefully my last.
I don’t think I could ever be near or work for anyone except Zak from now on.
I couldn’t even look another employer in the eye, nowhere near expecting the feelings Zak gives me when he is close by.
“So… You’re not really Joey’s mom, are ya?” is his first question, which kind of throws me, but I’m glad to get this part of things out of the way.
“No,” I whisper, shaking my head. “I’m his neighbor.”
Duh! I think he can see that, Jade. Maybe save the big guns for when the interview questions get real tricky.
But Zak only smiles, chuckling to himself before he runs both his hands through his hair.
“…I hang out with him when his mom and mine are at work together,” I explain. Figuring I may as well lay it all out in front of him.
“Just you and your mom here?” Zak asks, raising both brows as I nod. “So…no kids. No commitments,” he adds, making me flush a deep red.
“You mean do I have a partner?” I venture, knowing a lot of employers do ask these types of things. But Zak’s line of questioning, like his sudden appearance, doesn’t exactly have the air of a formal or even typical interview so far.
Even if I tried to tell myself he drove from wherever he was just to see me, it still doesn’t make sense.
I mean. The guy is amazing, and it’s as though he’s just fallen from the sky.
Shaking my head before I notice he’s waiting with bated breath, I tell him the truth.
“No. There’s nobody in my life, if that’s what you mean,” I reply shortly.
Sounding way more hurt than I mean to, his features soften as he creases his mouth.
“I didn’t mean anything personal. Well, I was just curious,” he says. But his mouth widens to a broad smile as he looks into my eyes again before bringing things back to business.
“I read your resumé,” he says, producing his phone and thumbing the screen until he finds what he wants.
“Majored in VR and game programming. Degree in computer science but no work experience,” he says, reading aloud, breathing in and out through his nose heavily at the last part.
“I’ll be honest, Mr. Templeton…,” I start, but he frowns and looks wounded.
“Call me Zak,” he says in a low voice, so I start over.
“I’ll be honest, Zak. I’ve applied for so many positions. And all of them want someone with experience. But how’s someone supposed to get any experience without the work in the first place?” I ask.
Relieved when he nods, bringing his fingers together to form a pyramid and pressing his fingertips to his lips.
He’s leaning his elbows on the table and making his lean, muscular arms flex without even trying.
“I can give you experience,” he rasps, and I hear myself gulp and swallow hard.
His words are like an electric current running from his body through the furniture.
Right up inside me, causing me to squirm on the spot as I stifle a little moan of my own.